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In this season finale, we conclude our journey through the Ten Commandments by examining the 10th and final Commandment. Unlike earlier commandments that address outward actions, the 10th Commandment focuses on internal desires. We define coveting, explore its devastating effects through the story of Achan, and discuss ways to cultivate contentment in a world designed to keep us wanting more. Inside This Episode • Defining the 10th Commandment: Understanding coveting as the "conception point" for other sins. • The Interior Life: Why this commandment is unique among the ten for its focus on the heart and mind. • The Sin of Achan (Joshua 7): How one person's hidden covetousness can bring a "curse" upon an entire community. • Modern "Covetous Machines": A discussion of social media and the "GQ Pastor" culture as breeding grounds for envy. • Radical Amputation: Applying Colossians 3:1–5 to "put to death" earthly desires. • Learning Contentment: Insights from St. Paul’s imprisonment in Philippians and the call to prioritize the eternal over the temporal. ***The book we reference is “What the Church Fathers Say: Insightful Sayings of the Church Fathers on Various Subjects” by George Grube. It appears to be out of print and no longer on Amazon, but it can still be found on sites like eBay and ABE Books.   Key Scripture & References • Exodus 20:17: The 10th Commandment. • Joshua 7: The defeat at Ai and the judgment of Achan. • Colossians 3:1–5: Setting minds on things above and mortifying covetousness. • Philippians 4:11–12: St. Paul on the secret of being content. • 1 Timothy 6:6–10: The warning that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. • 1928 Book of Common Prayer: The Offices of Instruction (pages 287–289). Coming This Fall We are taking a break for the summer! When we return for our new season, we will shift from the "What" to the "How." Topics will include:• Practical Living: How to live out the Catechesis in daily life.• Deep Dives into Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer and an exploration of the Book of Common Prayer.• Developing a Rule of Life: Tools for spiritual discipline.• Mental & Spiritual Health: Navigating anxiety, melancholy, and spiritual distress.• The Deuterocanon: Understanding the Apocrypha with special guests. Connect With Us Even while we are on hiatus, we want to hear from you. Send your questions or topics you would like us to cover! "A person who does not do what God has commanded shows that he really does not believe God." — St. Clement of Rome

Welcome back! After a busy Holy Week and Easter season at the parish, we are back behind the microphone to continue our deep dive into the Decalogue. In this episode, we tackle the Ninth Commandment: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." While often overshadowed by what many consider "the big sins," we discuss why the sins of the tongue, such as gossip, slander, and backbiting, are often more destructive to parish life than almost anything else. We explore why the Lord considers sowing discord among the brethren to be such a grave matter, using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the Offices of Instruction as our guide. Exodus 20:16 – The Commandment. Numbers 12:1–13—The complaint of Miriam and Aaron. Proverbs 6:16–19 – The seven things that the Lord hates. Philippians 4:4–9 – Meditating on what is true and noble. Ephesians 5:15–21 – Walking circumspectly and redeeming the time. Next Week: We hope you will join us for our final episode before our summer break as we conclude our series on the Ten Commandments. Have a question or comment? Reach out to us at [email protected] or [email protected].

In this episode, we discuss the 8th Commandment: Thou shalt not steal. Stealing is not just taking what belongs to another; it is also withholding what is due to our neighbor. We look at the book of Amos and the judgment against those who tread down the poor. Jesus warns us against hoarding goods for ourselves, as the rich man did with his barns. St. Paul tells us to work with our hands so that we have something to give to those in need. We also talk about tithes, alms, and the duty to be cheerful givers.

In this second episode of The Seventh Commandment, we move from definitions to the messy, practical realities of life in a fallen world. We discuss the difficult questions of divorce and remarriage through the lens of Matthew 19, emphasizing that while divorce may be a concession to sin, reconciliation remains the heart of the Gospel. The conversation provides a roadmap for guarding the "temple of the Holy Spirit," touching on everything from the desert fathers’ warnings against idleness to the modern necessity of digital accountability. By reframing purity not as a series of "don'ts" but as a progression toward holiness, this episode offers hopeful advice for living as "children of light" in a hyper-sexualized age.

In the first of a two-part series, we explore the Seventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Shifting the focus from mere prohibition to the positive duty of “temperance, soberness, and chastity,” the discussion grounds human sexuality in the created order of Genesis 2. By examining the “one-flesh” union, the sacramental nature of marriage, and St. Paul’s teaching on the body as a Temple of the Holy Spirit, we address how the Fall disordered our desires. This episode tackles the internal battle of the heart, the pervasive challenge of pornography, and the necessity of radical accountability—moving away from a culture of shame toward a life of transparency and union with Christ. Theology of the Body (TOB) Institute: https://tobinstitute.org/ – A liberating vision of human identity, love, and union based on the teachings of St. John Paul II.Common Prayer Online: https://commonprayeronline.com – Access the 1928 Book of Common Prayer daily offices, including Family Prayers and the Offices of Instruction.

In this episode, Father Miller and Stu examine the Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not Murder," looking past the outward act to the interior state of the soul. By exploring the narratives of Cain, Lamech, and King David, they discuss how envy and selfishness serve as the root of violence. The conversation centers on the fulfillment of the law in Christ, who calls us to move beyond mere legalism toward a life of reconciliation, tenderheartedness, and the pastoral care of our neighbors. For further study on the historical witness of the Church regarding the sanctity of life, please see this resource: https://www.ncregister.com/news/abortion-contraception-and-the-church-fathers

Today's episode is a Q&A. Also, Fr. Randall has a special announcement at the end of the show about some exciting changes in his ministry.

In this episode, Father Peter Jocelyn from St. Alban’s Pro Cathedral returns to discuss the need for order and balance in the Christian life, particularly as an antidote to the modern maelstrom of anxiety. The modern-day 24-hour media cycle and the doom scroll algorithm exacerbate feelings of chaos, encouraging Christians to embrace the ancient practice of intentional withdrawal. The practice is not presented as an escape but rather as a reordering of life around the Kingdom of God. By contrasting the tragic and pessimistic hope of the ancient Greeks with the eschatological certainty of Christian hope, Father Peter emphasizes that the path to peace lies in concrete and objective actions. These include observing the church calendar, participating in the corporate life of the sacraments, and moving out of the echo chamber of the mind to serve one’s neighbor. While we cannot control the culture’s nihilism, we can cultivate a rule of life that grounds us in the eternal Sabbath of Christ’s presence.

Fr. Peter Jocelyn of St. Alban's Pro-Cathedral in Oviedo, Florida, joins us to discuss godly masculinity and leadership in the domestic church. This conversation explores the feminization of Western culture, the absence of men in church life, and practical steps for cultivating authentic Christian manhood. Topics include the difference between healthy and toxic expressions of masculinity and femininity, why young men are increasingly drawn to traditional liturgical churches, the plague of pornography, the importance of self-discipline and a rule of life, and how fathers can lead their families through daily prayer and confession. Fr. Jocelyn emphasizes that culture is "the making of men and women by men and women"—requiring intentional formation rather than passive drift. The discussion addresses challenges facing single men, what women should look for in godly men, and how both sexes must work together to form Christian culture. Anyone concerned about raising sons, cultivating masculine virtue, or understanding the cultural moment should listen to this discussion. Resources mentioned: Leon Podles' The Church Impotent: https://www.amazon.com/Church-Impotent-Leon-J-Podles/dp/1890626198 Theodore Dalrymple's The Knife Went In: https://www.amazon.com/Knife-Went-Prison-Doctor-Britains-Dark/dp/1783341203 Helen Andrews lecture on feminization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWLbq7PlrIA

In this episode, we conclude our discussion of the Fifth Commandment by exploring its extension to all forms of earthly authority, moving beyond the family unit to the wider world. Drawing from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer’s Offices of Instruction, we examine the Christian’s duty to honor and obey civil governors, teachers, and spiritual fathers. We look at the complexities of Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, emphasizing that while God is the ultimate source of all authority, believers are called to maintain order and humility even under imperfect leaders. By discussing the necessity of being "teachable" and the dignity of manual labor, this episode illustrates how submitting to God’s established order leads to a life of quietness, productivity, and "perfect freedom."

In this episode, we transition to the "second table" of the Ten Commandments, focusing on the horizontal relationship we have with our neighbors. We explore the 5th Commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother," as the essential foundation for all societal order and the starting point for loving our neighbor. By examining Genesis and St. Paul's letters, our discussion highlights how the family serves as a "domestic church" where we first learn the balance of authority, obedience, and sacrificial love.

Mining The Mysteries will be on a short break for the rest of Advent and Christmas. We will return on January 20th. We hope everyone has a blessed Advent and a wonderful Christmas. See you in 2026!

In this episode, we're digging deeper into the fourth commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, exploring its meaning from creation through the Old Covenant civil law to its fulfillment in Christ's resurrection. We discuss how the Sabbath principle shifted from Saturday (the seventh day) to Sunday (the eighth day) as the early church gathered to break bread on the first day of the week, celebrating the new creation begun in Christ. We also touch on some common obstacles to faithful worship today, including misplaced priorities, hedonism, and the privatization of faith, while emphasizing that Sunday worship remains a holy obligation for Christians as we participate in the resurrection life and look forward to our eternal Sabbath rest.

In this episode, we dig deeper into the theology behind the Third Commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Moving beyond mere cursing, we discuss the mystery and holiness of God’s self-revelation as the transcendent "I AM" in Exodus. We connect the Old and New Testaments by identifying Jesus Christ as the embodiment of this divine name, through whom we all find salvation and adoption into God's family. We wrap up the episode with some practical ways to honor the Lord’s name and the importance of reverent liturgical worship, such as bowing at the name of Jesus, and encouraging all Christians to reflect God's holiness in their everyday lives.

This week, we have a special episode with guest Corey Byrum, a St. Philip's parishioner, to discuss his journey from Reformed Baptist and Presbyterian traditions to Anglicanism. Corey explains how his understanding of the Second Commandment and sacred images changed over time. He also reflects on the responses he received from former church communities, the study that led him to reconsider long-held assumptions, and the practical ways images can support prayer and devotion in the home. https://northamanglican.com/author/cory-byrum/ https://bit.ly/AFFIRMATIONOFSTLOUIS